[Pathomorphological and cytogenetic studies of embryonic abortions]

Cytogenetic studies into abortions have shown that in 50 to 60% of all abortion cases the presence of an aneuploid karyotype can be concluded simply from the histological findings obtained from the abortion sample. This has proved to be important not only for elucidation of the cause of abortion. Also, some cytogenetic studies have provided statistically useful information for counselling on the risk of repetition. However, there are also views according to which the risk of recurrence is not even increased in the wake of aneuploid abortion. Including in our investigation were 528 samples received by routine at the Charité Institute of Pathology from the Charité Obstetric Department, between October 1987 and June 1990. Macroscopic findings included 24 intact amniotic sacs with and 34 without embryonic fragments as well as 188 ruptured amniotic sacs. Only decidual particles were found in 249 cases, while no safe macroscopic assessment was possible of 33 samples. Investigation of the embryos proved to be essential to identification of malformations and determination of discrepancies between gestational age and embryonic development. Correlations were also established between age-specific incidence of abortions and age-specific fertility, with the risk of abortion being found to grow beyond the age of 30 years. Histological parameters recorded from 267 samples revealed links to specific chromosomal aberrations, with 136 of them (50%) being defined as chromosomally induced abortions. Seventeen in 34 abortions on which cytogenetic results had been obtained proved to be aneuploid, among them nine aberrations of trisomal karyotype. A triploid karyotype was exhibited by four and a monosomal karyotype by three. Mosaic was recorded in one case.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)